


The Generator

by Snellby



Category: Generator Rex
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Gen, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-14
Updated: 2013-01-04
Packaged: 2017-11-07 18:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/433849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snellby/pseuds/Snellby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years after the Event, they found the cure.  <br/>Huddled in a pile of debris, glowing lines of circuitry illuminating his dark skin, the cure was found in the form of a thirteen year old sentient class EVO, who was soon given the designation:  Rex.  </p>
<p>Fast forward to the present when Noah Nixon meets a strange boy on the basketball court, and his life changes forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rex

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. I've been writing fanfiction for some time, but this is my first time using this web site. It seems pretty cool, so I'm posting this fic here.   
> This is alternate universe fiction, so it pretty much does what it wants.   
> Thanks for reading it! Feedback is much appreciated.

Four years after the Event, they found the cure.

Huddled in a pile of debris, glowing lines of circuitry illuminating his dark skin, the cure was found in the form of a thirteen year old sentient class EVO, who was soon given the designation: Rex.

Agent Six, only a mercenary at the time, was the one who pulled him from the broken remains of the building he had, only moments before, single-handedly destroyed. The boy, frightened and confused, had shown no signs of being a threat, and followed Six back to Providence HQ, where he had demonstrated that he could build weapons using the nanites in his body. The scientist put in charge of his case, one Dr. Rebecca Holiday, spoke in hushed tones about the possibility of him being able to communicate with his nanites. Six dismissed her theories as hopeful ramblings…until the day an EVO got loose in the compound, and Rex, backed into a corner by the beast, had effectively beaten it away, knocking it unconscious with his giant metal fists…before resting his hands on its flank, and reverting it to the mongrel dog it had once been. The move was swift, born of instinct, and when the dog had awoken seconds later, it licked the boy’s face, and allowed him to scratch it between the ears.

And that was when Six had known…

Rex was their only hope.

**Two Years Later…**

Every day after school, Noah Nixon would make his way to the local park, basketball in tow, and shoot some hoops. Sometimes he’d bring friends, but mostly it was just him, the ball, and that unreachable hoop hanging over his head.

Throwing his jacket on the sidelines, the boy started dribbling the ball, passing it between his hands, eyes focussed on the hoop above. Bracing his body, Noah tensed, drawing the ball to his chest, ready to uncoil like a spring–

That was when he noticed someone watching him from the sidelines, a boy in a strange red jacket and black jeans, his dark hair held back by a pair of orange-lensed goggles. Noah shifted out of his stance, returning the boy’s unnerving stare.

“Hey.” Noah said. “Did you want to use the court?”

The boy didn’t reply right away, simply continued to watch him, but then, he took a few steps forward, almost cautiously, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket.

“I don’t really know how to play.” He said with a shrug. “Looked interesting though. You throw the ball into that thing up there?”

Noah frowned as the stranger pointed to the hoop with a gloved hand.

“Do you really not know what basketball is?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Another shrug.

“Guess I was kind of sheltered. D’you mind teaching me?”

“Sure…” Noah replied, hesitantly. “And you are…”

“Rex.”

“Noah.”

Noah proceeded to teach the boy how to dribble and pass, noting how quickly he seemed to pick up all the moves. Rex was obviously  _ some kind  _ of athlete, judging by the physical control he had over his body. And he was quick on his feet, continuously snatching the ball from under Noah’s nose, and stealing away to the other side of the court before the other boy could even react. 

However, whenever he tried to make a basket, the ball either fell short, or it hit the backboard too hard, careening out of control. Rex growled with frustration as he missed yet another throw, gloved hands held in fists at his sides.

“Don’t sweat it.” Noah said, flashing the boy a smile. “It takes practice.”

“It shouldn’t be this hard.”

“Let’s take a break.” The other boy suggested. “We can get a soda.”

Noah picked up his things, and the two of them crossed the street, coming to a stop at a vending machine. However, when the boy went to reach for his wallet, it wasn’t there. Frowning, he began to rummage around in the pockets of his jacket, then his backpack, grumbling to himself the entire time.

“Augh, I think I forgot my money.”

And then, there was Rex, holding out a can of cola, while gulping down his own.

“Here.” He said.

“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

Rex shrugged off-handedly.

“We’re friends now, right? That’s what friends do.”

Friends? Noah had just met the guy, and already they were ‘friends’? It seemed a bit soon to be so familiar with each other, but maybe Rex didn’t know any better? He had said that he’d been a bit sheltered—to the extreme, it seemed—so maybe that could explain his strange behavior. He seemed harmless enough, so Noah popped open the top of his soda, and took a long swig.

They stood in silence a few moments, drinking their sodas and staring at the cars going by. When Rex was done with his can, he crushed it in his hands, and tried to throw it into a nearby trash bin…only to have the can bounce off the rim. Noah snickered as the boy stomped off to pick it up.

“It looks like you’re not any better off the court.”

Rex turned back to him, a smirk plastered on his face.

“Just you wait. I’m going to get better.”

Suddenly, a shrill beeping erupted from Noah’s pocket, and the boy groaned, pulling out his cellphone.

“I gotta take this.” He said. It was his mom.

After a few minuets of idle chatter, Noah hung up, and turned to his newfound…friend-quaintence.

“My mom says I gotta go home, so, see ya tomorrow?”

Rex frowned, his eyes falling to the pavement as he thrust his hands into his pockets.

“Oh, yeah. Sure. I’ll see ya around.”

Halfway home, a Providence envoy roared past, and Noah felt fear bloom in the pit of his stomach. There was an EVO somewhere nearby. Those massive white vans only appeared when another poor soul had mutated into a mindless beast. It could be anyone…a classmate, a teacher…even someone’s pet. The boy took solace in the fact that it wasn’t his mother. She was safe at home, and those vans had been headed in the other direction.

Still, Noah ran the rest of the way.

 


	2. EVO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If Rex saw Providence as home, he might stop running away.” Dr. Holiday whispered when the two of them were hidden away in their corner of the lab. “To him, home is still out there. He’s going to keep looking until he finds it.”

“You need to keep a better eye on our weapon.”

Agent Six continued to stare stone-faced at the screen before him, glaring at the man who had once been his partner…but was now his boss. White Knight, the only pure human in the entire world, a poster boy for what providence fought for: a world without nanites, a world without fear. Somehow, Six had gotten mixed up in it all, his new position in the organization leaving him more exposed and vulnerable that he liked, but he did his best with what he had. He took his job very seriously, knowing that he held the only key to his master’s salvation. Someday…when the war was over, and Rex was stronger…

“He keeps finding holes in the security.” The former mercenary replied.

Your security.

“That’s why we have you around.” White Knight continued, glaring at Six from the safety of his sterile prison. “You’re supposed to watch him at all times. We can’t have a repeat of the Hong Kong incident.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Six replied, trying to hide the anger in his voice.

“You’d better, Agent. That EVO is our only hope for this war, and I will do anything to ensure that we don’t lose him.”

Six didn’t doubt it. As if locking Rex in a small cell and experimenting on him wasn’t enough. Maybe spending time with Rex had softened his heart, but the agent couldn’t help but feel pity for the young EVO. He was sentient, one of the few who still retained their human thoughts and emotions, and he was smart, able to crack security codes, and complete complex equations in seconds.

But, he was still a kid. A kid who wanted his freedom.

“If Rex saw Providence as home, he might stop running away.” Dr. Holiday whispered when the two of them were hidden away in their corner of the lab. “To him, home is still out there. He’s going to keep looking until he finds it.”

“Not if White Knight lobotomizes him first.”

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Holiday wasn’t weak, by any means, but she was sensitive, and she cared about Rex more than anyone else. He was a son to her, not just the EVO Providence paraded around for show. She hadn’t had the upbringing that Six had…She understood how to love, and care for others.

“I’d take Rex and run before I let that happen.” The woman replied, her voice cold.

“Good.”

After that, their conversation fell flat.

Later, as Six watched Holiday give Rex his daily check-up, he could clearly see the motherly love she had for him. Rebecca never treated him like a weapon…never with the sterile clinical methodology of the other doctors, and because of that, Rex’s false bravado fell away whenever she was near. He confided in her, sharing his thoughts and feelings…even some of his fears.

Around Six he became petulant and childish, struggling against him like a dog on a leash. Their training sessions were always painful to bear, Rex refusing to cooperate and learn what White Knight wanted him to. He didn’t want to be a weapon…he didn’t want to fight. He only wanted to be normal. Wanted to find his family.

Rex spent most of his time in a small room at the heart of the compound, locked in like a criminal. He had a bed, and a small closet. There was a rug on the floor. The boy would lay on his back for hours and throw a ball at the ceiling, losing himself in the maddening repetition.

Providence had given him a small wardrobe of plain t-shirts and jeans, but the boy still preferred to wear the clothes he had been found in…the strange red jacket and printed shirt. Six didn’t push him on the issue, but simply prompted him to wash them regularly.

When Six entered, Rex ceased throwing the ball, his eyes remaining fixed on the ceiling. Clothes were strewn everywhere, hangers snapped, dents and gashes visible in the metal paneling of the walls. It wasn’t often that Rex got angry enough to attempt such damage.

“While you were out, what did you do?” Six asked, moving to pick up some of the shirts strewn about.

“Wandered around for a while.” The boy replied, almost wistfully. “Rode through the desert. Some guy taught me to play basketball.”

Six froze.

“Some guy?”

“Yeah.” Rex said, rolling over onto his side. “He saw me watching him, and taught me how to play. Then we had some sodas.”

This was bad. White Knight would be furious if he knew that Rex had had contact with someone…it could spell trouble for whoever that poor guy was.

“Did you show him your powers?”

“He didn’t have his wallet, so I helped him get a soda out of the machine. You don’t have to lecture me, Six. Holiday already told me not to do it again. Stealing’s wrong, I got it.”

“This isn’t about stealing, Rex.” Six snapped.

“Well excuse me.” The boy said, throwing the ball to the floor. “I just wanted to get out, see some people my own age.

“It’s dangerous.”

“For who?” Rex demanded, narrowing his dark eyes. “For me, or for everyone else?”

Six didn’t know how to answer that. Rex didn’t know what he was capable of…he didn’t know that, somewhere inside him, there was a monster…a monster that made him just like all of the other mindless EVOs he fought and cured. Inside, he was no different than them.

But, Six couldn’t tell him that.

“You need to stop running away.” The agent snapped. “White Knight is getting angry. You don’t understand what he’s capable of.”

“I don’t care.” Rex spat, turning away.

Behind his glasses, Six fumed.

“You should.”

***

Rex wasn’t at the basketball court the next day…

Or the day after that.

A week went by, and Noah gave up waiting for the strange boy. He threw endless volleys of free throws, got some of his friends together for impromptu games, and sometimes merely sat silently on the the sidelines, working on homework in the fresh air. Life went on.

And soon, a month had passed. Then two. Noah all but forgot about Rex, and things went on as they always had.

It was a warm evening in late spring as Noah Nixon made his way home, basketball tucked beneath his arm, jacket slung over his shoulder. There were still a few people out and about downtown, enjoying the pleasant air, sitting outside of restaurants, casually strolling past shop windows.

And then, suddenly, screams tore through the air, and Noah looked up, frozen in place as his eyes locked onto a giant humanoid beast, the size of a house, looming in the distance. Its lean body was covered in in black scales, and razor sharp teeth protruded from a too small mouth. Long black claws gripped the pavement, decorated in tufts of dark hair as it hobbled forward, shreds of fabric and denim clinging to its skin.

It was an EVO.

Noah panicked dropping his basketball and jacket and he joined the dozens of others also running for their lives.

That was when Noah realized that the EVO was fast. With a gruesome snarl, it tore across the pavement, gangly arms bearing into the crowd, knocking them aside like rag dolls. It grabbed onto a man’s suit jacket with its teeth, whipping him around and around and around until it finally let the body hit the pavement with a sick thud. And then it was moving again, bony tail lashing wildly.

Noah could hear the thing’s ragged breathing, almost smell the metallic tang of active nanites as it bore down on him and the others trying to escape. It was gaining, quickly, and he just couldn’t run any faster. Already his lungs were straining, his stomach cramping painfully. The beast would soon catch up…it was going to get him—

And then…he tripped.

Down, he fell, painfully onto the concrete sidewalk. The boy had to roll madly to get out of the way of the pounding feet of desperate men, all the while trying to gather himself and get back up. He screamed for help, fingers scrabbling at the rough stone below, but no one stopped…no one seemed to care.

The beast was suddenly there, sniffing harshly at the vulnerable skin of his neck, and the boy flinched as it licked at his flesh with a rough tongue. This was it…he was going to die.

Just like so many others…he was going to die.

“Hey, buddy! Why don’t you try to pick on someone who can actually fight back?!”

Metal groaned, and suddenly the beast was gone. Noah scrambled to his feet, swaying uncertainly as he found the EVO…lying in a pile of debris as someone pummeled it into the ground with giant metal fists.

There was another one.

Noah wanted to run, but he found that he was frozen in place, watching the battle continue, monster against monster. Looking closer, Noah found that his savior was a young man dressed in a providence uniform, “EVO” printed between his shoulder blades. His eyes were obscured by large orange goggles…

Those goggles seemed familiar.

“You need to get out of here!” A providence agent shouted, snapping Noah back to his senses. “The Generator isn’t very careful when he fights. It’s dangerous!”

As if to prove his point, a large chunk of concrete fell into the ground right before him, making deep fissures in the pavement Noah flinched, quickly gathering his wits, turning tail, and fleeing the site.

With a grunt, Rex ran his sword through the EVO’s shoulder, feeling a spray of black blood on his face as he drove the weapon deeper and deeper. The creature howled, but Rex refused to back down, forcing the monster to the pavement with one sharp movement. The EVO gave a pitiful wail, before going limp, its six eyes fluttering shut. Rex smirked. Now, it was his time to shine.

Withdrawing his sword from the beast’s body, the young EVO shifted his hand back into its normal flesh and bone, his fingers reaching out to twine in the monster’s matted tufts of fur. He paused a moment, searching inside for the link that allowed him to cure people.

He found it, sending the power through his hands, seeking out the corrupted nanites, attempting to draw them into his body. At first, the beast’s nanites seemed to cooperate, gathering at the tips of Rex’s fingers, but then, the familiar screeching of nanites in pain tore into his ears, and the teen recoiled, breaking the link. With a soft growl, Rex tried again, his nails digging into the EVO’s flesh as he forced the connection once more.

“Rex?”

The boy could hear his handler, Six, approaching, but ignored him, attempting to administer the cure one more time.

It still didn’t work. It never seemed to work these days. It used to be that he’d always cure his patients but now…he was tired of having to watch families torn apart because he wasn’t good enough. Wasn’t strong enough. They depended on him, and he failed them, time and time again. He was sick of it.

Rex shifted his arm back into a sword, cutting off the beast’s head in one fell swoop.

“Rex!” He heard Six shout. “Stop right now!”

The young EVO reeled on his handler, eyes narrowed in fury.

“Why should I try to save anyone?!” The teen screamed, wiping the blood from his goggles with his remaining human hand. “Half the time, I can’t cure them! What’s the point of me if I don’t even work?!”

He was aware of the providence agents moving around him, guns at the ready. Let them try to shoot him. Let them try.

“We’ll get Holiday to figure out why this is happening—”

“No more tests! I’m not some lab rat!

“Rex.” Six hissed, lowering his voice. “If you don’t calm down, that’s exactly what you’ll be. White Knight will never let you out again.”

“He barely lets me out now.” Rex snarled, lowering his arm, shifting back to normal. “This isn’t the life I wanted, Six. I’m not a weapon.”

Maybe he could make weapons out of his body, but that was no different than a man wielding a gun, or a sword. There was more to him than what the nanites had done There was the hole in his mind that Six had promised to help him fill…fill with memories, and hope, and his family. The family that he couldn’t remember, no matter how hard he tried. Six had promised him.

Six had lied.

Rex ripped his goggles from his head, throwing them to the pavement, staring into his handler’s eyes defiantly. Six’s face was blank. The agent didn’t move…didn’t flinch. Reaching inside himself, the EVO called on his nanites, letting the rush of metal consume his legs and torso, twisting his human body, until he was sitting atop a hover bike of his own making, and breaking through the circle of surprised providence agents. He looked back, for one moment, watching Six as he stood in a plume of dust, unmoving, impassive.

There was no time for regret. No time to think about Six, or Holiday, or Bobo. Somewhere, there was someone looking for him.

Now was the time to find them.


	3. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know that I am capable of thinking for myself Holiday.” The agent spat. “I make my own decisions all the time. Remember when I decided to save Rex, and almost got White Knight killed? Or the time I decided to let him go solo in Hong Kong, and he hooked up with that gang? Or just today, when I decided to let the kid go? I might lose my job now. I might lose everything because of that EVO.”

When Noah reached home, he fumbled with his house keys, hands shaking as he tried to get inside. His heart was still pumping madly, adrenaline pushing him to near panic. He’d almost died…that EVO…it could have killed him.

He thought of his mother, away on a business trip, oblivious to her son’s plight. He couldn’t leave her alone. He wanted to hole up in his house and never come out, never to see another monster again…but he knew he couldn’t. His dad wouldn’t have wanted him to.

Finally, the boy managed to get the door open, and he rushed inside, hand blindly flipping on all the lights in the house. He threw his backpack to the floor, stumbling into the living room, before collapsing on the couch.

He was home.

He’d never been that close to an EVO attack. Sure, he’d seen them on television before, and a couple from a distance, but never that close. He’d never been near enough to an EVO to smell the tang of nanites in the air, or to get caught up in the panic of fleeing men. It was terrible…almost unbearable.

Noah leaned over, reaching for the phone resting beside the couch. He numbly dialed his mother’s number, hands still quaking, heart still beating too fast. He needed to hear her voice. He didn’t want to be alone right now.

“Noah?” Her voice called over the line.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Are you okay?”

Not really, he wanted to say. I feel dirty and grimy, and I want to throw up. But, he didn’t. That would only make her worry.

“There was an EVO attack…I’m fine, but…kind of shook up.”

“An EVO? Oh God, Noah. Are you sure you’re alright? I can come home—”

“No.” The boy replied. “You have to do this trip. I’m fine.”

Just a little shook up.

There was no way to prevent an EVO attack. They could happen at any moment, to any one. Plants, animals, humans; all were capable of becoming a monster. Noah tried not to think about it most of the time, but right now, his mind was whirling.

“Is there any way I could come out and see you?”

***

“You let him run off?!”

White Knight was furious, but Six had taken the brunt of many a superior’s anger before. He was used to it.

“His actions were unpredictable.” The man replied.

“Is it true that he eliminated the target when he failed to cure it?”

Six nodded.

“That is a level of violence we cannot allow.” White Knight growled. “His orders are to help us contain the EVO should his abilities fail. He’s gone too far, Agent Six.”

Six kept his mouth shut. White was acting like Providence had never killed an EVO in cold blood before…however, the agent knew that arguing would only make things worse for Rex in the long run. Maybe he should have stopped the boy…maybe he should have tried…but Rex’s behavior was becoming erratic, violent. At Providence, he was trapped, treated more like an animal by most of the staff than as a human being.. No one deserved to live that way. He wasn’t a prisoner…his only infraction was something buried deep within his mind.

So, Six had let him go.

“You don’t seem to realize how dangerous he is.” White continued. “It’s like letting an armed maniac loose on the streets. If we don’t find him soon, who knows what kind of chaos he could cause.”

“I understand, Sir.” Six replied with a nod of his head. “I’ll get a team working on bringing him back. He’ll be returned by the afternoon.”

“He better be. Your job’s on the line, Agent Six. Make sure you don’t disappoint me.”

“I won’t.” The agent growled, his voice tinged with ice.

He could remember a time when they had been equals; White a hardened government soldier, Six a mercenary hired for some extra muscle. The Event had changed both of their lives, mixed things up, forced them to become partners, and for a while, they had been as thick as thieves.

But, things never stayed the same, not in this world full of nanites and monsters.

Six almost stormed out of the briefing room, fuming silently behind his glasses. All his life he had followed orders; been the very poster child for a good mercenary; but then, Rex came along, and he found himself bending the rules again and again, always with disastrous results. It was his fault that White was stuck in that room forever, hiding away instead of being out on the field again. Because Six had made a poor decision.

But…not one that he had ever regretted.

The agent found Holiday in her lab, waiting for Rex, no doubt. It would be near time for his daily checkup…but there wouldn’t be a check-up today. Not with Rex on the loose. Six reached into his pocket, pulling out the EVO’s treasured goggles. Someone had to tell Holiday what had happened…and it looked like that someone would have to be him.

The doctor spotted him as he approached, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“How’d the last mission go? Is Rex alright?”

Six hesitated a moment, his fingers tightening around the goggles in his fist.

“Rex took off.” He said. “He couldn’t cure the target, so he eliminated it, and ran.”

Holiday’s face fell, her eyes wandering to the empty examination where the teen should have been. Six could tell that she was taking the news badly, so he held out Rex’s goggles, motioning for her to take them, not wanting to see her cry over something so trivial. Rex was fine. There was no indication that he was in any danger, and it had been proven time and time again that the boy could handle himself.

After a few moments, the doctor took the offering, running her fingers over the deep scratches and scrapes pressed into their surfaces from years of fighting EVOs.

“I told you this would happen.” She said, her voice growing cold, sorrow turning to anger. “You told him that you would help him…but you never did.”

“Where was I supposed to start?” Six asked, his eyes narrowing. “We don’t even know where he came from, or even if Rex is his real name. Thousands of people died in the Event…how do we even now his parents are still alive?”

“You could have at least tried!” Holiday cried. “That’s all he wanted. You couldn’t even do that?”

“No.” Six murmured. “I was ordered not to.”

Holiday glared at him, holding Rex’s goggles tighter in her hands.

“You don’t always have to listen to him.” She said. “You can make your own decisions.”

“I know that I am capable of thinking for myself Holiday.” The agent spat. “I make my own decisions all the time. Remember when I decided to save Rex, and almost got White Knight killed? Or the time I decided to let him go solo in Hong Kong, and he hooked up with that gang? Or just today, when I decided to let the kid go? I might lose my job now. I might lose everything because of that EVO.”

The two stood in silence, Holiday’s hands clutching at Rex’s goggles, fingers moving in nervous patterns.

“Six–” She began, fumbling over her words, unsure of what to say The agent sighed, taking a few steps forward, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. She really was beautiful. More beautiful than she could ever know. He couldn’t stay mad at her…

Not when she was right.

“I’m just a mercenary, Rebecca,” Six continued, softening his voice. “No one likes a man for hire that they can’t trust. If I lose this job, I will never get another.”

“White wouldn’t fire you.”

“Why wouldn’t he? We’re not friends anymore.”

They’d never be friends again.

***

Racing through the desert, dust trailing behind him, Rex fled Providence, not daring to stop, knowing that if he did, it wouldn’t be long before they caught up with him and dragged him back. He wasn’t sure where he was going, blindly tearing through the wasteland, but he had to keep going.

He couldn’t stop. Couldn’t stop.

But, he was tired, his hoverbike rattling as he struggled to keep it together. The further he went, the harder it became, until he found himself swerving and weaving around, using all of his remaining energy just to keep going.

And then, he couldn’t do it anymore.

His build fell apart, throwing him to the blazing sand, chunks of broken metal following. Rex coughed, gloved hands scrabbling for purchase as he attempted to stand, only to collapse again, his body tired and worn out. He rolled onto his back, staring into the hot sun, baking in his Providence uniform.

What now? If he continued to lay here, Six would find him. He couldn’t go back. Not now.

Painstakingly, Rex managed to stand, dragging one foot after the other, overheated in his uniform. It wasn’t long before he unzipped the back and pulled the suit down to his waist, tying the arms to keep it up. Even in his undershirt, the sun was hot, burning his exposed skin as he shambled on. There were no signs of civilization in sight…no hope that someone would happen upon him…unless that someone was Six, or Captain Callan. No water, no food. His rash attempt at freedom suddenly seemed pointless.

He was going to die out here.

Then, he saw it…a road, winding through the desert. Suddenly finding new energy, Rex, raced towards it, his boots finding purchase on the boiling blacktop. If he followed it, he’d eventually come across someone or someplace.

If he only kept moving…

Just had to…

Keep…

Moving…

Rex fell to his knees, collapsing in a heap on the burning road.


	4. The Boy in the Desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A body in the road? He had to make sure the person was okay. Noah clumsily forced the door open with shaking hands, running over to the body’s side, shining the flashlight on their prone form. The stranger was a boy, his dark skin reddened by the daytime sun. There was sand everywhere, caked to his face, and his hair, and his clothes. His lips were severely chapped. There was no telling when he’d last had a drink of water.

There was nothing like driving alone through the desert; like being surrounded on all sides by endless stretches of sand and rock, like feeling the unrelenting sun beat down on you through the windshield. Noah kept his hands firmly planted on the steering wheel of his ancient SUV, making his way down the miserable blacktop road, not wanting to be alone in the aftermath of an EVO attack. He couldn’t get his mind to stop running through the day’s events, of the screaming crowd, and the EVO’s tight grip and rancid breath. Things so easily could have ended for him, right there and then. If Providence hadn’t shown up…

It would have been over.

Day turned to night, and Noah continued on, turning his headlights on the empty road, dodging the animals that scurried across his path. Hours had passed, and still, there was no sign of civilization anywhere. No road signs, no indication of human occupation. Noah turned to the GPS mounted to his dashboard, wondering if it was even taking him the right way. He was running low on gas, and if he didn’t find a station soon–

He spotted it in the corner of his eye, something lying in the road. Something big.

Panicking, Noah slammed on the breaks, the sound of screeching rubber tearing into his ears. The car swerved, giving a violent groan of protest as it slid over the blacktop. Noah braced himself, hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel, his eyes screwed shut.

When the car finally lurched to a stop, the boy could only sit in shock, eyes locked straight ahead, heart pounding uncontrollably. After a few moments of silent panic, Noah forced himself to look at the thing in the road, and gave a yelp of fear when he saw what it was.

A body, resting in a heap on the blacktop.

He’d almost hit someone. With his car.

As if this day couldn’t possibly get any worse.

Then, with a great whine, his car sputtered, the engine dying and the lights fading to black, leaving the boy alone in the darkness.

Great.

Gritting his teeth, Noah tried to get the engine to restart, twisting the key again and again to no avail. Muttering angrily to himself, he popped open the glove compartment, fishing out the emergency flashlight, clicking it on and illuminating the dark cabin.

What was he supposed to do now? He was sitting alone in the middle of the desert with a dead car, and a body in the road.

A body in the road? He had to make sure the person was okay. Noah clumsily forced the door open with shaking hands, running over to the body’s side, shining the flashlight on their prone form. The stranger was a boy, his dark skin reddened by the daytime sun. There was sand everywhere, caked to his face, and his hair, and his clothes. His lips were severely chapped. There was no telling when he’d last had a drink of water.

Noah carefully took the boy’s wrist, checking his pulse. It was faint. Much too weak to be a good sign, but he was alive. Holding a hand over the boy’s mouth, Noah confirmed that he was breathing. He might be okay.

“Hey.” Noah called, gently nudging the unconcious boy. “Wake up.”

Nothing.

The last thing he wanted to do was move him. What if he’d been hit by another car, or broken his ankle while walking along the road? Noah took a deep breath at the thought, running the flashlight over the stranger’s body, checking for any obvious injuries or blood. There was nothing that he could see…but, looking closer, Noah noticed that the boy was wearing an odd white jumpsuit, the top half tied around his waist…and the normally pristine gleam of a Providence uniform marred by dirt and grime.

Providence? Could this boy work for–

Suddenly, the stranger lurched forward, his hands grabbing the collar of Noah’s shirt, pulling him off balance. Noah gagged, lashing blindly out with the flashlight, striking his attacker in the shoulder, and with a yelp, the boy relinquished his hold, falling backward to the pavement. Panting hard, Noah skittered backward, trying to put as much distance as he could between the stranger and himself, keeping the flashlight trained on him at all time.

It wasn’t long before the boy managed to gather himself together, a shower of sand falling onto the blacktop and he shook it free from his hair and his skin.

“Augh.” He groaned, holding a hand to his shoulder, wincing in pain. “Why’d you have do that?”

“Y-you kind of tried to choke me.” Noah cried, trying to keep a brave face, despite the fact that he was scared shitless.

“Sorry, I guess.” The stranger continued. “Can’t really help my mad reflexes. Wait…”

Noah felt a shiver run up his spine as the boy stared at him, tilting his head in confusion, like a puppy, before a huge grin spread across his face.

“I know you!” He cried. “Noah! Remember me? It’s Rex?”

“Rex?”

He suddenly flashed back to the day, months ago, when he’d met a weird kid named Rex who couldn’t sink a basket to save his life.

Now that he had a chance to really look, he recognized him instantly. Jeez. His mom was right. He really was terrible at remembering faces.

“Rex.” He said again, dumbfounded. Really. What were the odds?

“Si.” The boy said, picking himself up, and dusting the sand from his body. “Small world, isn’t it?”

“How the hell you’d get out here?” Noah demanded, scrabbling to his feet, brandishing the flashlight like a weapon.

Rex shrugged.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I was going to see my mom.” Noah huffed. “But, then you were in the road, and I killed my car trying not to hit you. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“I can probably fix it.” The other boy said, cracking his knuckles. “But, I have to know if I can trust you first.”

“You have to know if you can trust me?” Noah asked, cocking an eyebrow. “You’re the one who was lying in the middle of the road in a Providence jumpsuit. Care to explain what’s up with that?”

Rex stared at him a moment, before letting out a big sigh, untying the sleeves of his jumpsuit, and slipping it back on. He pulled the zipper up to his throat and brushed off the remaining sand before taking a few steps towards the car, the beam of Noah’s flashlight following him as he went.

“We’re friends, right?” He said. “That means…we’re supposed to be able to trust each other, doesn’t it?”

“Rex I…”

It was then that he saw it. Three letters printed between the boy’s shoulders; one incriminating word that answered some of his questions…

And raised even more.

EVO.

“You’re an EVO?!” Noah demanded, taking a few staggering steps back. “What the hell?”

Rex didn’t say a word. He merely reached out a hand, setting it on the hood of the car, turning suddenly sad, pleading eyes to the other boy.

“Don’t freak out.” He said.

Before Noah could react, Rex’s hand lit up, blue light coalescing beneath his palm, a shrill screeching rising into the air. The light began to move, running along the car’s hood in intricate patterned lines, covering it completely.

“Hey! Stop!”

Noah took a few hurried steps forward, before the roar of his car engine stopped him in his tracks. Rex drew his hand back, smirking as the light faded, and all was quiet once again, save for the gentle lull of the engine.

“I fixed it.” The EVO said. “I said I could.”

It was all too much for Noah to handle, and he began to sway, his knees giving out beneath him.

“Nononono.” Rex said, rushing forward, catching the boy in his arms. “Don’t pass out on me. We gotta keep moving.”

“Keep moving?” Noah mumbled, blinking his eyes to drive away the black encroaching on his vision. “Why do we have to keep moving?”

“I’ll explain in the car.” The other boy replied, leading Noah towards the driver’s side door. “Are you sure you’re okay to pilot this thing?”

“Y-yeah I can drive.”

“Good. Then drive.”


	5. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Come on, Rex. It’s time to go back.”
> 
> “Says the man who let me go in the first place.” The EVO spat, pulling himself from the agent’s grip. Rex managed to get the side door open, and jumped out, activating his aerial build before he hit the pavement.

“We found him.”

Six glared at the red blip on the computer screen, almost disappointed that the EVO had been located so easily. Rex’s power had spiked somewhere in the desert, high enough to be tracked, and just like that, Providence had him. The agent shook his head, turning away from the screens, quickly gathering his team of agents.

“Ready the choppers. We’ve got a renegade to apprehend.” Almost subconsciously, he glanced at Holiday, and their eyes met, only for a moment, before he turned away. He didn’t have time to think about it. If he didn’t bring Rex back, his career was over. This was the only line of work he knew, the only thing he was capable of. Right now, he was an agent of Providence, and it was his job to retrieve the EVO. Hopefully by now Rex had time to clear his head, and it’d be a while before the next outburst.

Six could only hope.

•

When he’d woken up that morning, Noah Nixon had never thought that he would find himself driving through the desert with an EVO in the passenger seat. And yet, here he was with his new found “friend”, Rex, sitting next to him, looking bored by the entire ordeal.

How could he be bored? What was his life like if something so out of the ordinary didn’t even phase him?

“The radio out here bites.” The EVO groaned, slouching down further in his seat. “Do you have any good CD’s?”

“Not until you tell me what you were doing out there in the road.” Noah snapped, keeping his eyes trained ahead. “And what’s with the Providence suit? Are you an agent or something?”

Rex sighed, pulling on his seatbelt strap for a moment, before turning to Noah, still looking infuriatingly apathetic.

“Yeah. I work for Providence. They keep a few EVOs around for special missions and stuff. Things that normal people can’t handle.”

Noah shook his head.

“I still can’t believe you’re an EVO.” He said. “I-I mean…I saw what you can do, but you look…totally human.”

“Well, I am.” Rex continued. “I mean, my nanites are active, so I guess that makes me an EVO, but I’m not a monster of anything. Some of us can still think and talk and stuff.”

It was a new concept. EVOs that still retained their humanity. The news only showed the big hulking monsters; ones like the creature in the city. Never the ones who only changed a little. Not the ones who could still remember being human.

“You’re the Generator.” Noah said, glancing over to catch Rex’s reaction. The boy flinched at the name, his fingers digging into the fabric of his jumpsuit.

“Yeah. That’s what Providence calls me.” He said. “‘Cause I can generate machines out of my body.”

Suddenly, Noah was back in the city, cowering on the pavement, watching as Rex punched the other EVO again and again and again, his hands and arms covered in metal, wires poking out of his flesh.

“You need to get out of here! The Generator isn’t very careful when he fights. It’s dangerous!”

Noah tried to swallow down the lump growing in his throat.

“How’d you get in the desert?” The boy asked. “Did you get separated from Providence?”

Rex scoffed.

“I ran away.” He said.

“You ran away?”

“Yeah.” Rex said, still painfully nonchalant. “I’m going on a journey of self-discovery. Maybe I’ll find the family I lost in the Event.”

Noah laughed, feeling panic creeping up his spine.

“So, you’re telling me that you ran way…from Providence. A powerful government organization. And that, I aided you in your escape.”

“Si.”

Well then.

“They’re going to be coming after us!” Noah cried, his hold white-knuckled on the steering wheel. “They probably have you microchipped. They’re following your GPS right now!”

Rex chuckled.

“I just disable any GPS they try to stick in me.” He said. “The only way they can track me is if I use my nanites and–”

The EVO paused, his face falling as realization hit him. Noah could only stare blankly ahead, his jaw dropping as he remembered Rex, only a half hour ago, restarting the car. With his freaky EVO powers.

“How long until they find us?” Noah demanded.

Rex sat up in his seat, staring out the window.

“I don’t know.” He said. “It depends.”

“Depends on what?!”

“On whether they take the cruisers or–”

The two of them flinched as something heavy landed on the roof of the car, leaving deep dents in the metal above their heads. Noah swerved, his head snapping back to stare at the damage. He was suddenly all too aware of the thrumming of chopper blades cutting through the night.

“…or they take a more aerial approach.”

•

Six hung out the side of the chopper, eyes tracking the battered car making its way down the road. Their surveillance equipment had confirmed it. Rex was inside.

It was almost too easy.

With a swift hand gesture, he gave the signal, and his men dropped down, landing silently in many small puffs of sand. Once they were in position, Six tensed, jumping from the edge of the chopper, free-falling through the air to land precisely on the roof of the car below. Panicked, the driver swerved, but Six simply rolled onto the hood, eyes locking with Rex’s a brief second before he shattered the windshield with one of his swords. The driver screamed, letting go of the steering wheel in favor of protecting his face, while Six reached for Rex, pulling him forward by the front of his uniform.

“Come on, Rex. It’s time to go back.”

“Says the man who let me go in the first place.” The EVO spat, pulling himself from the agent’s grip. Rex managed to get the side door open, and jumped out, activating his aerial build before he hit the pavement. Six slid off of the hood, signaling to his men waiting on the sidelines. They opened fire, taking out the EVO’s wings, causing him to crash to the ground in a puff of metal and dust.

“It was a mistake, Rex!” The agent shouted. “White Knight’s not just going to let you disappear. He’s not going to let you go.”

The teen groaned as he picked himself up, shrugging away the broken remnants of his build.

“If I go back, he’s just going to lock me up again!”

“I warned you.” Six spat, his grip tightening on the blade in his hands. “In the end, this was your decision.”

Six knew Rex’s fighting style better than anyone. It was crude, unsophisticated; all offense and very little defense. It was a desperate way to fight, but, ultimately, the style didn’t matter when you had giant metal fists at your disposal. Rex was holding back, they both were. While Six could skewer the boy like a fish in mere seconds, Rex could easily break every bone in his body, or cleave his head from his shoulders in one quick slice. They didn’t want to hurt each other…

But they really didn’t have a choice.

“I’m not going back there again!” The EVO screamed, building his slam canon and arming it with a large chunk of the road. He fired blindly into the group of providence agents, sending them scattering in all directions. Six yelled at him to stop, but the teen simply armed himself again, standing in the broken remnants of the road.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Rex hissed.

“I know.” The agent said, watching the boy’s stance waver momentarily, stunned by Six’s reply.

“Y-you know?” He asked, eyes wide.

“Yes.” Six continued as he gave his men the signal to stand down. The battle was going nowhere…and Rex would never go quietly. They’d have to resort to bigger guns, rougher tactics. It would end in blood, and with Rex angrier at Providence than ever before.

That wouldn’t be good for anyone.

“If I let you go, right now, you have to make it count this time.” Six said.

“Sir!” One of the agents shouted.

“Quiet.” Six snapped, before turning back to a stunned Rex. “If I let you go, right now, you can’t use your powers, because next time, it won’t be me coming after you. Do you understand?”

“Y-yeah.” Rex stammered, lowering his canon. “Six–”

“Then get your friend out of the car, and go, before White gets wise. Someone back there has probably already radioed HQ. You need to get as far away as possible.”

Silently, the EVO ran to the car, gently pulling the driver from where he’d hidden himself during the battle. Six could see, for the first time, that the driver was just a kid, around Rex’s age, his face cut up by the broken windshield.

There was something oddly familiar about him.

Without another word, Rex built his hover cycle, the driver hopped on behind him, and they were gone, streaking through the desert, toward the dim lights shining in the distance.


	6. Runaways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve never had one of these.” The EVO admitted sheepishly.
> 
> “You’ve never had a cheeseburger?” Noah asked incredulously.
> 
> Rex shook his head.
> 
> “Providence always kept me on a diet.” He replied through mouthfuls of food. “Y’know, slop full of protein and vitamins. No junk food.”
> 
> “That sucks.”

Rex drove until he couldn’t anymore, his build falling apart without warning, sending him and Noah tumbling to the ground. Rex hit the pavement hard, rolling a few times amidst piles of broken metal parts. He lay there a moment, trying to catch his breath, before he turned to Noah, who was cradling his leg, eyes squinched up in pain.

“Are you okay?” The EVO asked.

“I think it was just my ankle. I’m fine.” Noah ground out. “A little warning next time would be nice.”

“Sorry. I thought I could get a little bit further.”

Slowly, Rex sat up, feeling his ribs twinge in pain. He must have jarred them too much. He’d taken a hit a few weeks ago, and they’d healed for the most part. It looked like he was back to square one. They were on the outskirts of a small town, fortunately in an area where no one had seen the accident.

“You’re bleeding.” Rex said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Noah’s face.

“Oh, God.” The boy groaned, reaching a hand up to his cheek, drawing it away, his breath hitching as he saw his fingertips dotted in crimson.

“Windshields aren’t supposed to break like that.” He muttered.

Right now, they had to get those cuts cleaned out. Rex had seen what infection could do to healthy men. He’d seen Providence agents come back from missions to parts unknown, their limbs swollen and filled with shrapnel. It never ended well. Noah’s injury might not be as serious as that, but it was still dangerous. They couldn’t ignore it.

“We need to get you to a hospital.”

“We can’t go to a hospital.” Noah snapped. “Providence has got to be looking for me now. It’ll lead them straight to us.”

“Then, we still need to clean out the cuts.” Rex continued, pushing himself to his feet, before moving to help Noah. He slung the boy’s arm over his shoulder, allowing him to balance and keep the weight off of his injured ankle, ignoring the pain in his own ribs. He’d been through worse. He could handle it.

“I saw a gas station a little ways back.” Noah said.

“Then, lead the way.”

***

Noah leaned over the dirty gas station restroom sink, carefully trying to clean the bits of glass from his face, washing out the cuts, ignoring how much it stung. The entire time, he tried to hold back angry tears, forcing back the ball of rage rolling around his gut.

There was no running from Providence. They were everywhere. No matter where they went, anywhere in the world, Providence would eventually hunt them down. Noah wasn’t sure what that meant for him. He _had_ helped their secret weapon escape. Would they arrest him? Something worse? His mind whirled, imaging all sorts of medieval tortures.

His mom had always been anti-providence, and over the years, her thinking had rubbed off on him. In his mind, there was nothing that they weren’t capable of; nothing that they wouldn’t do to reach their goals. Did Rex not realize how serious this was?

With a defeated sigh, Noah finished cleaning his face, and dabbed at it gently with a paper towel before limping from the bathroom. He found Rex staring at a case of doughnuts, his eyes wide with hunger. There was no telling when he’d last eaten, but if Noah was hungry, the EVO had to be famished.

“Come on.” He said, gesturing towards the door. “I saw a Snack Shack on the way in. I think I can afford some food for us.”

Noah ordered both of them cheeseburgers and fries, ignoring the questioning stares from the employees. He’d given Rex his jacket to try and make him less conspicuous, but it didn’t help much. Both of them looked like they’d been rolling around in the desert for days. Not to mention Noah’s face, which had thankfully stopped bleeding, but it still looked like he’d been mauled by a cat. They found a secluded table at the back of the restaurant, and dug in, Rex nearly inhaling his meal.

“I’ve never had one of these.” The EVO admitted sheepishly.

“You’ve never had a cheeseburger?” Noah asked incredulously.

Rex shook his head.

“Providence always kept me on a diet.” He replied through mouthfuls of food. “Y’know, slop full of protein and vitamins. No junk food.”

“That sucks.”

They finished their food in silence, Noah caving in to get Rex another cheeseburger. He wasn’t sure if using his nanites burned any calories, but it was a possibility, and the last thing he needed was Rex passing out on him in case they had to run.

“We need to make a plan.” Noah murmured, leaning over the table once the wrappers and soda had been discarded.

“I thought we’d just keep moving.” Rex said. “Town to town.”

“We need a better plan than that.” The other teen groaned. “I only have 80 bucks in my wallet right now. That’s not going to get us far.”

“Do you have any credit cards?”

Noah gave the EVO and exasperated look.

“Providence can easily track credit card transactions.” He said. “Like I said before, they’re on watch for me, my credit cards included. So, we only have 80 bucks to last us…forever.”

Forever? Would they really have to keep running forever? The only other option was turning themselves in to Providence, and that couldn’t happen. He’d had plans for his life, dreams, goals. And God, what about his mom? What was going to happen to her?

“Has running aimlessly ever gotten you far before?” Noah asked, remembering back to the day at the basketball court. “When we met each other, did Providence come get you, or did you go back?”

Rex shifted uncomfortably a moment, his eyes staring at the yellow laminate table.

“They’d always come get me.” He whispered. “Six would show up in a tank, glare at me a bit, and then we’d go back, and I’d run some laps for it.”

“But, that won’t happen this time.”

“No.” Rex said, shaking his head. “Six, the man in the green suit, he said that if they caught me…”

Noah watched as the EVO dug his nails into the table.

“…Noah…” He murmured. “There’s some stuff I have to tell you.”

_There was no feeling like it…like waking up, and having nothing but a vague niggling of memory, realizing that you can still speak languages, and understand sounds and signs and sights, but everything else…everything you really want to know, is right out of your reach. You can function…but nothing more._

_Your body knows more than you do, reacting to situations automatically,. Eventually, you learn to go along with it, and things get better after that. But, your memories never return…and no one seems willing to help you find them._

_Waking up in a pile of broken debris, eyes and lungs filled with dust and dirt, staring up at a cloudy sky darkened by smoke, his first memory was shouting for help, his voice scratchy and raw. And then, Six was there, pulling him from the wreckage, brushing him off and checking for broken bones and fractures._

“ _ **Are you okay? Do you remember me?”**_

_Rex tried to. He wracked his brain in an attempt to recall anything. But the world was a blank. All he had a single name on his tongue._

_Rex._

“I can’t remember more than six months.” The EVO whispered, snapping back to reality. Back to Noah, and the Snack Shack, and their escape. “I’ve been at Providence longer than that though. I ran away because Six promised me that he’d help me find my parents…but so far, nothing. I got tired of waiting. Wouldn’t you?”

“I-I…” Noah stuttered, unsure of how to respond. He’d spent most of his time trying to forget his parents…well, one of them, anyway. “I guess so.”

“I just wanted a little bit of help. I don’t think it was too much to ask for, after all I’ve done for them. After all the people I’ve saved. But no–” Rex scoffed. “I’m an _EVO_. I’m not human. I don’t have any rights.”

“Is that really what people think?” Noah asked. “I mean, I’ve never met an EVO like you before. Are there a lot?”

“More than you’d think. The head of Providence, White Knight, he hates EVOs. He’d sooner see them all dead. Even the ones like me.”

“That’s not fair.”

Noah had always been quiet, the kind of kid who kept his head down and followed the rules. He’d never paid much attention to politics, choosing instead to leave those sorts of things to the adults.

But suddenly, here he was, with an EVO who could think and speak, and act like a regular human being. And there were more? These last twenty four hours had been an eye-opener; an endless adrenaline-fueled learning session where he’d been given a crash-course in EVO rights by a runaway fifteen year old.

“We need someone to look at your ankle, and make sure it’s not broken.”

“I’m fine.” Noah said. “I walked in here–”

“Limping the whole way.” Rex interrupted. “You’re really in pain. I can tell.”

“How are you going to find someone?” The other boy demanded.

Rex turned to the counter, pointing to a group of men waiting there in dusty green jumpsuits.”

“I was planning to ask those guys. They’ve got first aid kits right on their belts.”

Noah shook his head.

“Those are engineers. They aren’t going to want to talk to us.”

“Engineers? Well, why not? The ones at Providence were always really nice to me.”

Sometimes Rex could be so naive. Granted, only having six months worth of memory have him a pretty good excuse, but it was like working with a child, having to take time to explain simple things. It was going to get really old, really fast.

“They keep to themselves most of the time.” Noah said, making sure his voice was too soft for the men to hear. “After the Event, people went after engineers and scientists, blaming them for what happened. It got pretty bad for a while. The scientists recovered, mostly, while engineers kind of held a grudge.”

The two watched silently as the engineers left the restaurant, bags of fast-food in tow.

“That seems stupid.”

“You weren’t there.”

“Maybe I was.”

Suddenly, commotion erupted outside, tires screeching, and metal groaning. Rex was on his feet in an instant before Noah could stop him, running to the door, peering out.

“Rex!” The boy shouted, trying to stand, his ankle feeling worse than ever. “Wait–”

“It’s an EVO!” Rex replied. “I’ve got to stop it.”

“Rex!”

But he was gone.

***

“You let him get away?”

“Maybe.” Six replied, glaring up at his superior.

“That’s what my agents tell me.” White Knight growled. “That you ordered them to stand down, and let Rex ride off, without a fight.”

“Yes–”

“I knew it.” The head of providence spat. “You’re going soft on me. The Six I knew would never have let some _EVO_ loose on the streets. What happened to the man I used to call my partner?”

“He learned about compassion.”

White Knight huffed, his pale skin turning red.

“You are the sixth deadliest man in the world, and you’ve let your career be compromised by a fifteen year old. What would your mentor think?”

Six narrowed his eyes, struggling to keep his emotions in check. He tried not to think of his master these days. Tried to keep the memories buried deep where they couldn’t interfere with his work. He didn’t want to think of the man, chained up back on his island, struggling to keep his body human, while his children ran from him instead of finding a cure. For a moment, Six allowed the floodgates to open, imaging the man’s hardened winkled face, hearing his low, dangerous voice as he taught him to fight, and hunt, and kill.

“Don’t you dare mention my master.” Six said, trying hard to keep his voice even.

His master needed Rex. Not Rex as he was now. A Rex who had realized his true potential. Who was powerful and confident.

A Rex who could save him.

“I cannot allow you to walk away from this.” White Knight continued. “You know that right?”

“I figured as much.”

“Then you know what we have to do.”

Six felt hands pulling at his arms, trying to force his wrists into handcuffs.

“Yes. I do.”

Six lurched forward, throwing his would-be captor through the air, shrugging away the half-clasped restraints. With one swift movement, Six’s swords dropped into his hands, and he turned, pointing one at White Knight’s televised face.

“And I know exactly what _I_ have to do.”


End file.
